Chapter 18
Isaac
The loch looks wild.
From the window of the room that we’re crammed in, the loch and the mountains are the only things visible. The ever-present grey sky is there and the few birds, probably birds of prey, that soar up into the air, searching for food.
My back is turned to the rest of the room: Nate, Micky, Ivy, Ben, two of Micky’s team that I don’t know but Ben does, and Blair, who sits between Micky and Ivy.
She hasn’t spoken to me or Ben since her car exploded and that was more than two days ago.
The explosives were sophisticated, homemade, but whoever had prepared them, knew what they were doing. They had been designed to kill the driver, any passengers and anyone nearby when they went off and had Blair gotten to her car any quicker, she’d have been dead.
“We need to get started.” Micky’s voice is a reminder that there are things to be done and we can’t keep fixing on that she could be dead.
I head to the table and find the only chair left between Nate and Ben, avoiding Blair’s eyes because I know I won’t like what I see there. Distrust. Hurt.
I see the same when she looks at Ben and I don’t know what hurts more.
“Everyone’s had the report on the explosives.” Micky’s accent is thick today, which tells us he’s pissed off. “We’ve checked the cameras that look over the cars and there’re no obvious signs of tampering, but why would there be? Whoever’s done this knows us too well.”
“Insider job.”
Nate is the only one who looks semi-pleased to be here and I know from Ivy that this is where he’s in his element. A problem to solve and one where he isn’t on any official books, which means he doesn’t have to follow official methods.
These are the only people who know that Ben’s alive, the quarter of the castle where the old ballroom is being commandeered to house him out of the rest of the staff and any guests.
This is how it has to stay until we’ve found who’s behind this.
“And there are a lot of insiders.” Micky looks around the room. “A lot of people who could be swayed to acting against Blair, especially before the coronation takes place.”
“Who have you redone background checks on?” Blair looks at Micky.
“Everyone who works in this building. Given that the weekend was free of guests after everyone had left from the funeral, it has to be someone who’s been on site for the weekend.” Micky sounds completely calm and his usual tell of rubbing his bald head isn’t there. He’s done his homework.
Blair’s quiet, saying nothing. Her eyes are fixed on the paperwork she’d brought with her, the report on the explosives and a stack of sheets that I suspect go through the background of each employee.
“I know we’ve already theorised about the why of this, or some of the whys.” Nate looks around the table. “There will always be groups who want to sway politics for their own gain. And individuals.”
I think of my father.
“What has Lachlan been up since the funeral?” My words sound cold.
“Spending time with his parents. He has a planned trip to Scandinavia later this week.” Micky holds my gaze. We’d talked yesterday about my father. I asked him for proof of where he was this weekend, Nate sitting next to me as I probed about his motivations.
He’d laughed. Then provided me with an account taken from a tracking device that could’ve been fabricated until he’d talked about Blair.
“I knew I’d never have kids. I don’t swing that way and I was never going to settle down with anyone to adopt or foster. A house on an estate with a car and a dog and a child at school was never going to float any boat in my harbour, so when I met Blair and was asked to keep an eye on her I figured she was the closest thing to a niece that I’d get.” He’d drank black coffee as he’d talked.
“You say niece. Why not daughter?” Nate had asked the question.
“Because you don’t take your daughter to a sex club and you probably shouldn’t take your niece.” He looks to the ceiling. “But she was curious and it was better to let her see that world in a way she could be safe rather than her explore it in complete secrecy and pay.”
Nate nodded. I didn’t.
“What do you have to do with my father?”
Micky raised his brows.
